2014 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor vs. 2014 F-150 FX4

For many people, the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is easily the ultimate F-150 (Aside from aftermarket specials like the Shelby Raptor). With zero effort, you can argue the SVT Raptor is the most badass production-spec F-150. But there are other important questions to consider: Is it the best buy in the pantheon of F-150 configurations? How does it compare to a more mainstream F-150, like a well-equipped ($52,000) F-150 FX4 EcoBoost? Is the $53,000 Raptor—with its 411-horsepower 6.2-liter V8—worth a four-mpg deficit to the FX4 EcoBoost’s 17 mpg combined? Can the Raptor’s extraordinarily superior exhaust note make you forget about V6 EcoBoost fuel economy?